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WASHBOA'RD.

No. 578,157. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

FIEZ.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN H. REIMERS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN I/VASHBOARD COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 578,157, dated March 2, 1897.

Application filed December 28, 1895. Serial No. 573,623. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. REIMERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Washboards, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in Washboards, and has for its object a construction and arrangement of protector wherebyit is adapted to perform a triple function. It has heretofore been customary to arrange the protector in such manner as to prevent water from splashing up onto the clothes of the operator, with a capacity of being shifted so as to permit of a number of washboards being compactly arranged for transportation or storage. By my improvement the protector is adapted to form, in connection with the brand-board, a soapreceptacle, and to afford protection to the soap and the clothes of the operator from the splashing of water.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single-faced washboard having myimprovement applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, showing the protector in one position by full lines and in the other position by dotted lines.

In the practice of my invention the washboard is constructed in the usual manner, and consists of side bars 1, head-piece 2, cross-bar 3, brand-board 4:, rubbing-face 5, and backboard 6. The protector 7 is provided at its ends with supporting-arms 8, which are pivotally mounted on the side bars 1 in such relation to the head-piece 2 and cross-bar 3 that the protector may be adjusted to a position of protector use adjacent to either head-piece or cross-bar. The protector is held in its position adjacent to thehead-piece by any suitable form or construction of catch, such as the spring 9, attached to the head-piece and provided with a toe 10, adapted to engage a notch 11 in the protector. In this position the protector will serve to prevent the splashing of Water upon the clothes of the operator.

By releasing the protector from engagement with the catch it may be turned down to a position adjacent to the cross-bar, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, where it will serve as a soap support or receptacle and will protect the clothes of the operator, and also prevent water from being sluiced over the soap.

It will be observed that the catch holds the protector so as to practically form a lateral extension of the head-piece. When the washboards are to be arranged one upon the other for transportation or storage, the protector is released from the catch and pressed back under the head-piece a sufficient distance to permit two washboards being arranged closely one upon the other. When the boards are in this position, the small portion of the protector of one washboard projecting beyond its side bars will be protected by the side bars of the other board.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the protector is capable of being adjusted to a position where it will serve as a clothesprotector only, and also to a position where it will serve as a soap-receptacle and a soap and clothes protector. In the attainment of this triple function I do not limit myself to any particular form, construction, or arrangement of devices for supporting and adjusting the protector.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. A washboard having in combination therewith a brand-board,a protector and arms connected. to the protector and pivotally mounted on the Washboard-frame in such relation to the head-piece and cross-bar as to permit of its being shifted from aposition of protector use adjacent to the head-piece to a position of protector use adjacent to, but above the cross-bar, and in the latter position to form in connection with the brand-board, a soap box or receptacle, substantially as set forth.

2. A washboard having in combination therewith a brand-board, a protector, arms connected to the protector and pivotally mounted on the washboard-frame in such rebe capable of being adjusted to a position of protector use adjacent to, but above the cross- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set bar, Where it forms in connection with the my hand. brand-board a soap box or receptacle, and to JOHN H REIMERS a position of protector use adjacent to the 5 head-piece and a lock for holding the protector in the latter position, substantially as set forth. 

